The present invention relates to the authorization of producing visual images from digital images.
Images can be viewed by many different types of imaging devices: they can be displayed on a monitor such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube monitor (CRT), or an organic light emitting diode display (OLED). They can be printed on a reflective or transparent receiver by a printer. They can also be projected onto a screen using a projector to present a static image or motion images. The imaging devices are usually located at different sites. In addition, many of the digital images are protected by copyright. Adequate authorization methods need to be set up for the users to get permission to use the digital images. Modern communication and computing technologies provide convenience for using digital images at different locations. The digital images can be used to produce images on a display or printing images on receivers.
An object of the present invention is to provide an effective authorization method for using digital images.
This object is achieved by a method for authorizing the making of a visual image from a digital image, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving the digital image having embedded authorization information;
b) extracting the authorization information from the digital image;
c) verifying that the extracted embedded authorization information permits an imaging device to form the visual image of the digital image; and
d) after the verifying step using the imaging device to form the visual image from the digital image.
An advantage of the present invention is that the authorization of the use of digital images can be provided for users at different and remote locations.
A feature of the present invention is that the authorization information is embedded in the digital image and is therefore an integral part of the digital image.
Another feature of the present invention is that the permission to use an digital image can be readily facilitated.